I'm Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
by PNWHufflePuffin
Summary: "Mr. Stark I need help, please!" Peter begged crawling backwards pathetically as Bucky strode towards him. "Kid, I'm stuck." Tony admitted defeatedly as he slammed a fist into the glass to test that theory. or Ross uses Bucky and Peter to try and drive a further wedge between Tony and Steve


_So just a few notes on this Story. It takes place roughly a few weeks after Spiderman homecoming. The only thing I've changed canon wise to that is that Pepper and Tony are still on rocky terms. I know the Winter Soliders words are supposed to be spoken in russian but I left them in english for story clarity. Also this is not an attack on Bucky Barnes character at all, but I did find how they used him as a weapon in Civil War extremely fascinating. Along with him being the main source that turned Tony and Steve against each other I thought it made for a good story. This story is a little dark so just a warning that there is violence and small mentions of blood. Thanks for reading :)_

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Tony Stark was having an increasingly hard time wrapping his head around how big of a shit show his life had become as of late.

Okay, to be fair, his life had always been a bit of a shit show. Especially after he'd donned the Ironman suit and declared to the world that it was in fact him inside the suit. There's crazy in the form of getting shit faced every night and waking up to find out you've blown a ton of money again. Then there's _crazy_ in the form of creating a weaponized suit and flying around the world fighting crime in it.

Pepper had told him time and time again that he wasn't allowed to mope over the trouble that seeped into his life when he welcomed it so freely. God he missed her and how she could call him on his bullshit and comfort him all in one notion. It was practically an art form. It had been 128 days since they last talked directly. He'd been counting.

What was pissing him off especially so today was that the shit show he was being dragged into wasn't his own. What Pepper had never understood, and what had mostly driven her away, was that he welcomed the chaos as long as he was the one creating it. He even welcomed it in a lot of ways. Ever since Afghanistan, and especially so after New York, he'd required a need to keep himself busy. It was a coping mechanism. It was a shitty one, but one that worked to keep him somewhat sane.

Today he was dealing the Secruitary Ross whom he'd really grown to detest. After the battle in Siberia where he and Steve had fallen out he'd wanted nothing to do with those damn accords. Steve had taken most of the team on the run and left Tony alone, he'd never admit it to himself but he'd started to see the Avenger's as his weird makeshift family.

He knew the team saw him as a villain, the one who had driven them underground. After losing Pepper, well, losing the team was a big hit. It was the main reason he'd initially pushed Peter Parker away. The reason he couldn't look Rhodey in the eyes for weeks.

It pissed him off because the team had always called him reckless and egotistical. The one damn time he tried to do the right thing they wouldn't cooperate with him. Now the Avenger's were on the run and Tony was left to deal with an equally pissed off Ross.

Ross had been on his ass for months. At the very least he knew Tony turned a blind eye when Steve broke the wayward Avenger's out of the prison. He also had a pretty good idea that Tony could help him track them down if he wanted to cooperate more. The phone calls and endless messages demanding help had begun to be a bit alarming.

Rhodey had inside information and Tony now knew that Ross was pretty much fired these days. He'd lost the Avenger's and made no progress on tracking them down. He couldn't bring himself to feel bad for the man though. Maybe if everyone involved had handled the accords differently things could have been okay in the end. Ross was the center of that madness and why it spiraled and Tony saw that now.

Today however, Ross had finally reached out with something so compelling that he couldn't stay away. Something inside him told him he shouldn't have gone, but he couldn't resist the urge to see if it was true. That they had managed to capture Bucky Barnes. The one person he hated more than Ross in this whole debacle. He knew it was wrong to hate the man, but you just can't unsee your mother getting murdered. _He had tried._

So here Tony was at the floating tin can of a prison where e was told Barnes was being held.

"Finally Stark." Ross barked as Tony strode into the room, his hands deep in his suit pockets. Tony knew something was off almost immediately, because he didn't see Bucky in any of cells. In fact he only saw one face in the cell furthest from them.

Steve Roger's was behind the glass looking unlike himself in so many ways as he slammed his fist against the unbreakable glass repeatedly. He looked disheveled, his typical composed nature lost. Steve was frantically yelling something over and over but the glass withheld any noise from escaping from behind it. As Tony stared at his former friend in disbelief however, the word became clear as he watched Steve's mouth form it over and over again.

"Trap."

**BAM**.

_ Everything faded to black. _

Tony came to with the back of his head throbbing in such an unyielding fashion that he thought he was going to be sick for a moment. Awkwardly he reached his arm behind him and lightly touched the back of his head with his fingertips which grazed a warm wetness soaking his hair. Now he really swallowed down the urge to vomit.

Slowly he braced himself and opened his eyes. His vision blurred but he blinked several times to try and get an idea of where he was. He was sprawled across the cool and dusty floor of a dimly lit room. With a deep breath he pushed himself up into a sitting position. With another push of his arms he scooted back and leaned against the closest wall. The coolness of the metal wall eased the ache in his head.

"So they tricked you too?" A voice asked and he turned to see Steve leaning up against the wall a few feet away from him. His vision was clearing up now as he slowly adjusted to the world around him again. Steve had a beard now, and his hair was long and unkempt. He'd clearly been avoiding the small things like haircuts and long showers while on the run.

"You look like shit." Tony grunted out and Steve actually laughed at this. It wasn't a true laugh, there was begrudging nature to it, but a laugh nonetheless.

"Yeah, I suppose I probably do. It hasn't exactly been five star hotels where we've been." Steve replied. Tony wasn't sure if this was a dig at his lavish lifestyle directly or if he was just still pissed at the man enough to take a small comment that way.

"Yeah, well still. Where are the others?" Tony asked as he slowly made to stand to his feet. Steve extended his hand but Tony ignored as he made his way to his feet without help.

"I came alone." Steve said as Tony made his way towards the glass barrier in front of them. It was clear he was in the cell that just Steve had been in when he first arrived. Looking beyond it Ross wasn't standing in the center outside of it anymore, nobody was.

"Why?" Tony asked not turning around to face Steve as he looked for exits or any knowledge that might help them later.

"I got word through a mutual contact that they had Bucky. I'd sent him to Wakanda where he should have been safe, but T'Challa confirmed that he had escaped. Ross confessed to me he got word to Bucky that they had me here and played the same move but with me on him. It's a simple trick, but hey it worked. My weakness has always been Bucky and he knew that." Steve explained, his voice slow and thoughtful.

"We've got some rats in the mix then. There's no way word should have gotten to Wakanda." Tony said shortly but Steve ignored it and asked another question.

"Why are you here Tony?" Steve asked, his voice was calm but Tony didn't miss the tone of disappointed laced within it.

"You know why. They told me they had Barnes and I couldn't stay away." Tony snapped turning around to face Steve now. Anger was flaring in him just looking at Steve's calm face.

"Do you have any idea why Ross put you in here?" Steve asked curiously, choosing to ignore the altercation that was brewing between them. Tony sighed and started to pace around the cell as he contiplated that question. It had left himself feeling rather stumped. He'd wondered why Ross had done something so reckless and stupid since he first came to from the blow to the back of his head.

"I think he's lost it honestly. Rhodey had some inside information he managed to get his hands on. Ross is as good as fired these days. I basically cashed that final paycheck in his eyes because I've been dodging him and won't help bring in the _Rogue Avengers_." Tony explained putting emphasis on the phrase he'd heard Ross use in regards to Rogers and the rest on the run so many times.

"You didn't turn us in though. You had the phone, you could have if you wanted to." Steve commented his voice showcasing thankfulness but Tony didn't bite.

"That's not the point. The point is that I don't see how this ends up working out for him in the end. He went from unemployed to criminal in one stupid ass move." He muttered and Steve nodded in agreement.

"He has to have some kind of plan." Steve stated and Tony only nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to think. It really didn't make any sense. There was no way this ended up working out for Ross.

"Do the others know you're here? How long have you been here?" Tony asked trying to square away all the knowledge he needed.

"Natasha has an idea, and it's been 24 hours. They'll act if I don't get word to them soon. I don't know what we're up against here so I don't know if that's good or bad." Steve replied his eyebrows knitting together in concern.

"Yeah." Was all Tony managed to say. Natasha would act for Steve because they were friends. The others too, because Steve had broken them out, so they would do so for him in turn. They were family still. That still didn't add up to why Ross had taken him in too though. Tony Stark being captured didn't mean a damn thing to the Avenger's these days. Tony wasn't even a criminal, it would only ruin Ross.

"How have you been Tony?" Steve asked and Tony looked at him, his eyebrows raised in mock surprise.

"Really? I'm not gonna do this with you just because we're stuck in this cell." Tony said incredulously.

"I still care about you. You don't look good either. You might be clean shaven and have one of your best suits on but the bags under your eyes say something different." Steve pushed but Tony never had a chance to respond because the dim lights brightened and Ross strode into the room outside their cell. Tony and Steve both stood at the edge of the glass door, definatently staring down man who greeted them with a wide smile.

"Ah you're awake now Stark." Ross commented and Tony just stared at him, not taking the bait to get angry yet. Get Ross talking he thought to himself.

"Why did you trap us here? Do you really even have Bucky Barnes?" Steve demanded and his voice sounded outside the cell, the speaker system working on both ends now.

"Better yet I know why you've got him here." Tony said curtly as he jabbed a thumb in Steve's direction "What in the actual fuck do you think trapping me here is gonna do?"

Ross smirked as he walked closer towards their cell. Tony suddenly felt a sense of unease as he got a better look at the man's eyes as he approached. Before they'd been strained and annoyed but that had changed into something… sinister. He looked angry and dangerous. Tony found himself wishing he'd brought a suit. Not a tailored black suit with a matching tie, but one made of Iron.

"You see I have a family too Stark. A beautiful wife and two daughters who thought the world of their husband and father. Now though? My wife has left with the girls because they say I've gone mad. I've lost everything chasing after the Avengers and trying to do the _right_ thing." Ross explained the madness in his eyes growing.

"I don't see how trapping us here is going to change that. If you would just budge on the accords we could work something out, you could keep your job." Steve offered in his calm and rational way of talking. Tony cringed as he only knew too well how maddening that could be when you were upset like Ross was.

"It's too late Rogers. the government is corrupt, the accords were only ever a desperate attempt to gain back some control. They may have had a purpose in the beginning but that's long past." Ross shot back and Steve sighed next to him.

"The way I see it, all that's left for me is to finish dismantling the Avengers, to end your crusades for good." Ross continued but Tony let out a hollow laugh at this stopping Ross's speech.

"The Avengers _have_ been done. Everyone knows we fell out in Siberia. We're about as dismantled as they come." Tony said and Ross shook his head.

"You think that Stark but I know you've been protecting them. If you had truly wanted to aid me in finding them you could have. You don't think we've had ears on this cell? You two confirmed that moments ago." Steve's head bowed next to him.

"There's still nothing left to be done." Tony said simply but Ross shook his head once again his smirk returning.

"I met a man by the name of Helmut Zemo. The man, who you of course know, was responsible for piting the two of you against each other. His family may be dead, but we're not so different, him and I. He almost killed you both, using each other." Ross explained and Steve's fists clenched.

"For the love of god, cut the bullshit and get to your point." Tony demanded impatiently, he'd grown tired of the insinuations of a bigger plan.

"Have it your way Stark. Bring him in." Ross demanded two of the many guards standing aside him who quickly left the room at these words.

"You see my friend I was talking about, he had an idea, it was brilliant really. However, with most clever plans, they can always be improved upon. James Barnes was Steve Roger's best friend, all that he had left from the life that was stolen from him. He was the perfect ploy to get Roger's where he needed him. Weak, irrational, _desperate_." Ross explained pacing slowly across the large space in which he stood. Tony could feel Steve growing more and more tense as the words tumbled out of the mans mouth.

"Now James Barnes may have been responsible for your parents deaths Stark. I know that hit home, I know that hurt, but it was footage from years ago. What if we upped the stakes of James Barnes, Steve's best friend, and we added a new player. Someone Tony cares about in real time." Ross finished and Tony felt his blood run cold.

Ross must have gotten Pepper some how. He hadn't even spoken to her months and now she was still being brought into his mess. Fuck if she wasn't always right, even when he so desperately wanted her to be wrong about this.

The guards came back carrying a limp figure between them. Each guard held one of the figures elbows up on either side as the person's head lulled down against their chest, clearly unconscious. The figure didn't belong to Pepper Potts however. It was a small figure, who looked even more tiny compared to the beefy guards in their tactical gear. It was Peter Parker.

He wasn't wearing a mask, or the suit at all for that matter. The kid had on everyday clothes, one of his nerdy science shirts and all. Peter had clearly put up a fight. There was evidence of that due to the bruises across his face.

"No." Tony said his voice cracked with emotion and Steve whipped his head over to look at him.

"Who is that? Tony who is the kid?" Steve asked in a rush, his voice laced with concern but Tony didn't want to tell him. He already felt like enough of a failure already that these horrible men had found out. Shame ripped through him because identity had always been so important to the kid and here he was in the open, totally exposed.

"So you took an intern from Stark Industries. I mean that's low because he's a fucking kid and all but he's no Bucky Barnes to my Steve Roger's" Tony said, trying to keep his voice as nonchalent as possible. _Lie_ his brain screamed at him. He jumped when Ross echoed him.

"Lies Stark. You may have been avoiding us these past few months but we've been keeping tabs on you. We know you've put a whole hell of a lot into this kid. You visit him, he visits you, the phone calls between your phones." Ross said with a laugh and Tony's face fell despite his reserve.

"He's just an intern, he's smart, I like smart people." Tony replied.

"When we ambushed the kid when he got home to his apartment in Queens. We found out he's more than smart, he's enhanced." Ross said, using the word enhanced like it was a dirty word that should never be uttered.

"He's just a fucking kid. He doesn't have anything to do with this." Tony yelled, his voice angry now.

"People like him have everything to do with this!" Ross yelled back. Tony ran a hand through his hair in stress. Peter stirred feebly in the men's arms for a moment but went still again.

"But that's not why I took him. I was just lucky I had enough men there to take him down because he put up a hell of a fight that I wasn't exactly expecting. I took him because when your team abandoned you, I think he served as a replacement. I think you mentored this kid, took him in, and started to care about him." Ross finished.

"He's just an intern." Tony repeated, trying to keep his face stoney.

Ross grabbed Peter by the throat and held him up as the two men that had held him backed up into their formation again.

"Stop!" Tony yelled slamming his hand against the glass in desperation. "I care about the fucking kid okay, is that what you want to hear?"

"That's exactly what I want to hear." Ross said throwing Peter down on the hard floor in front of the glass prison that seperated Tony from the kid.

Peter stirred again now, his eyes opening slowly. He pushed himself up on his elbows and looked around. Tony kneeled down to be level with the kids eyesight, even if the damn glass separated them.

"Oh hey mister Stark." Peter muttered with a wave of his hand at him. Tony smirked despite himself.

"Hey kid, you okay?" He asked and Peter nodded sitting up further now as he looked around at the erie setting.

"Yeah I'll be good. I mean I was kidnapped so that's not really cool, at my apartment in Queens right. I mean I fought back but there were like, 12 guys there Mr. Stark." Peter complained and Tony shook his head.

"You did good kid. I came here on my own. Walked right into the trap so you've got me beat for the day." Tony offered and Peter's eyes widened.

"Really? This place is so not your style Mr. Stark, I'm shocked. It's kind of a shit hole if I'm being honest." Peter said, finishing in a staged whisper. Tony felt the need to both cry and laugh.

"Yeah well the kid has obviously been spending time with you. I see why you get along." Steve commented and for the first time Peter's face left Tony's to glance up at the other man.

"Oh Hey Captain America. Used to be a big fan, not so much anymore. Gotta say though, those PSA's they play at my highschool are gold." Peter muttered his face scrunching up into something like a glare.

Ross and his guards were talking now, Tony knew something was about to happen, he just didn't know what. Peter was in danger and he was trapped in this fucking cell. Even if he wasn't, he hadn't brough his Ironman suit with him anyways. The nanotech was almost ready but not quite. His chest peice / suit was sitting on the work table in his shop back home.

"Come!" Ross commanded of his henchmen and they all followed him through the large opening into another hall. The metal door slid shut with a sickening slam against the concrete floor.

"What's happening Mr. Stark?" Peter asked standing up onto his feet now as he spun around taking in the room.

"I don't know kid, but I'm really sorry you got dragged into this." Tony muttered feeling more helpless than he had felt in a long time.

"It's not your fault sir, it's mine. I got the feeling they were following me home from school. I just wanted to get to my suit before I tried fighting them and it was at home. Hindsight is 20/20 because if I had let them attack me in the streets it would have caused a scene I don't think they wanted." Peter replied, clearly frustrated with himself.

"You have enhanced hearing and sight. Are you seeing anything that might help you that we might not be?" Tony asked and Peter shook his head turning back to Tony now.

"Nothing. This place is locked down." Peter confirmed but Tony had really already knew that. They'd kept Wanda imprisoned here, who was arguably more strong than all three of them together.

"Did you see anything else outside of this area or have you been unconscious the whole time?" Steve asked Peter curiously. Tony knew he was still wondering about Bucky.

"No, I've been out since they took me from Queens." Peter answered and Steve ran a hand through his hair stressed.

"I'm sure Barnes is fine." Tony snapped but Steve shot him a glare.

"That's what I'm worried about Tony." He shot back and Tony raised an eyebrow but before Steve could continue Ross's voice was back but over a loudspeaker.

Peter, Tony, and Steve all looked up to a lit area where Ross could be seen observing them from a window on deck above.

"I've tried to work with you all. I've grown sick of mutants calling themselves hero's as they tear through cities and normal human life. I've always hated the enhanced." Ross explained as the large door slid open again and another form was thrown into the room.

Bucky rolled out of it and rose to his feet as he looked around frantically. Tony felt a white hot surge of anger as he looked at the man who had caused him so much pain. The man who had taken his parents and his team.

"Bucky?" Steve asked and Bucky looked to his best friend in confusion.

"So they did take you?" Bucky asked and Steve only nodded. Tony saw that Steve looked scared now. He'd never seen fear in those blue eyes like this before.

"Who's the kid?" Bucky asked as he assessed Peter who stood near him. Peter must look especially small compared to the winter soldier. Peter backed up slightly, as he tugged at his sleeve absentmindedly. Tony knew he was looking for his web shooters which were of course not present.

"Stay away from him." Tony snapped as he watched Peter's face grow concerned.

"I'm not gonna hurt the kid, Stark." Bucky protested, looking angry at the accusation, but something like hurt flashed through too.

"Now that the gang's all together, I'd like to welcome my last guest." Ross said, his voice booming over the speakers. All their heads shot up in his direction as a man strolled into the area beside Ross.

"No!" Bucky yelled looking horrified as Zemo strode into the room, a red book clutched in his hands.

"Damn it." Steve cried out slamming his hand against the glass as Bucky looked over to him frantically. Tony was putting the pieces together, his heart hammering as he looked to Peter now who looked utterly bewildered.

"Get the fucking kid out of here Stark. I don't want to hurt him but I will if you don't get him out of here." Bucky begged of Tony, his eyes were full of fear now. He looked desperate and childlike almost.

"I should have fucking killed you. I should have fucking killed you when I had the chance!" Tony spat back at the man before rounding on Steve. "I told you Rogers! He's a fucking ticking time bomb. Look what you've done!"

"Longing… rusted… furnace…" Zemo read out slowly.

"Mr. Stark what's happening!?" Peter cried out in horror over Zemo's voice, his eyes frantic as they met Tony's.

"Kid… they're activating him. You just gotta stay away from him. You're quick so try to buy time. Others know we are here." Tony commanded and the kid nodded not breaking eye contact.

"Daybreak… Seventeen… Benign…"

Bucky was trying to cover his ears but the voice was so loud that it hurt Tony's ears. He knew there was no avoiding it.

"Nine…"

"Bucky it's okay." Steve said and Tony wanted to punch the man next to him because if there was one thing he was sure of, it was that it was most definitely not okay.

"Homecoming."

"I'm sorry." Tony said to Peter who shook his head.

"It's okay, Mr. Stark. It's not your fault. I can fight." Peter said as he backed away from Bucky who was on his knees now. The trusting nature in his voice broke Tony's heart even further.

_You can't though kid._ Tony thought sadly as he remembered Barnes tearing through an entire SHIELD facility. Peter looked so small and innocent in the open area with no escape.

"One… freight car."

Bucky went rigid and slowly looked up to the room where Ross and Zemo stood shoulder to shoulder.

"Soldier?" Zemo asked and Bucky's eyes had lost all emotion, they were blank and inhuman like.

"Ready to comply." the winter soldier answered, his voice had taken on a robotic tone. For once Tony could finally see that Bucky and the Winter soldier weren't one. That the winter soldier was like a virus that took over the host's body. Bucky was long gone.

"Take out the child." Zemo commanded and Bucky slowly turned towards Peter who stood on the opposite side of the room his brown eyes wide and horrified.

"Ross stop!" Tony yelled staring daggers at the man above them who only shrugged his shoulders.

"I warned you Stark."

"Steve get us the fuck out of here!" Tony yelled rounding on Steve who looked helpless and as horrified as Peter.

"Tony.. I don't think I can.." Steve responded his voice apologetic and Tony wheeled back around to see Barnes approaching Peter menacingly. He lunged and Peter dodged it by throwing himself at the ground and rolling out of it.

"How enhanced is the kid?" Steve begged of Tony.

"He's fast, he's strong, but he's missing his suit and his tools. He's no match if Bucky gets a hand on him." Tony replied watching as Bucky and Peter dodged and weaved. It was almost dance like.

"Tony.. I'm sorry." Steve whispered and Tony would punch the man if he could but that would mean looking away from the battle before him. Bucky finally made headway and got a punch in on Peter. Peter's body slammed into the glass barrier and rattled it with the force of it.

"Kid?" Tony yelled but Peter was already standing up.

"Mr. Stark, I'm not gonna be able to fight this guy!" Peter yelped barely dodging another blow. He was slowing down, the hit had taken a toll. Bucky launched his foot out and Peter slammed to the floor again.

"Mr. Stark I need help, please!" Peter begged crawling backwards pathetically as Bucky strode towards him.

"Kid, I'm stuck." Tony admitted defeatedly as he slammed a fist into the glass to test that theory. He heard a sickening crack, not from the glass, but his hand. Steve followed up and slammed his full weight into the glass shoulder first repeatedly. Nothing happened.

Bucky punched Peter hard in the face now as the kid feebly tried to block the blow. Tony slammed his fist against the glass again his knuckles bleeding now. Blood ran down the glass barrier just as it ran from Peter's nose.

Bucky's hand wrapped around Peter's neck.

"Stop!" Tony screamed helplessly slamming his hands against the glass again and again. Bucky tightened his grip and Peter turned his head towards Tony.

"I'm... sorry... Mr...St..." He whispered before his voice was strangled out as Bucky tightened his grip. Tony felt tears roll down his cheeks as Peter's face turned blue and his eyes fluttered shut.

Suddenly though there was burst of noise, a smash of glass, and everything turned into further chaos


End file.
